Mar 2013 Prez Sez

Tiger Bay State Forest and ATVs

In 2010, when the Florida Forestry Division was publishing its master
management plan, some Daytona Beach residents asked that the Tiger Bay
State Forest, west of Daytona Beach, be opened to ATVs and other
off-road vehicles. The Forest Service did not grant that
request. Late last year, the group tried a different
tactic. That was to get the City Commission to write a
declaration of support for the activity in hopes that it would help
persuade the Forestry Division to change its mind. Now they are
upping the ante by asking the County Council to do the same. And
they have some support already in the Council.

There are 114 miles of roads in the forest, 52 miles of which are open
to street-legal vehicles during daylight hours. The remaining 62
miles are open to the public for hiking bicycling and equestrian use.

The city of Daytona Beach, in its resolution, proposes that all the
roads be opened to street-legal vehicles except 10% of the forest which
would be allocated exclusively to ATVs, motorcycles and other off-road
vehicles. The proponents cite family recreation activities and
increased economic activity including jobs because lots of people will
come from far and wide to use the facility.

The environmental community is concerned about the damage to
environmentally sensitive lands. The Forest was purchased to
provide part of the wildlife corridor from the Okefenokee Swamp to the
Everglades. It should support large animals such as bears that
have a large home range. Off-road vehicles are counter-productive
to that effort. In addition, off-road vehicles cannot be expected
to remain on roads, even dirt and gravel ones. The likely result
will be destruction of swaths of habitat.

The request for the County Council to endorse the Daytona Beach
resolution and provide their own to the Forest Service is on the agenda
for 3 p.m. on the 21st of March.

In an Oct 2 story in the Daytona News-Journal, Dinah Voyles-Pulver
interviewed Cathy Lowenstein, a forest resource administrator with the
Florida Forest Service. After characterizing the lands in the Tiger Bay
State Forest she stated: "It's very difficult to find areas that are
not sensitive."

To me, that says it all.

Representatives of the three Volusia County Audubon Clubs will be
attending the County Council meeting. Watch this space for
updates.